Common Thread: Modern Embroidery of Victoria Villasana

The Royal Family is all the rage lately, and we recently came across some intriguing artwork of Queen Elizabeth… beautifully woven colorful thread over a simple black and white photo. Upon further investigation, we discovered a treasure trove of incredible works by Mexican textile artist Victoria Villasana. The unexpected can be powerful in art, and…

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TrumpQueen

Some could argue that our Commander in Chief would be better suited for monarchy than a democracy (Jimmy Kimmel certainly thinks so, here). But the tomfoolery of New Jersey-based designer and Photoshop extraordinaire Michal Krauthamer is just that. Photoshop shenanigans created simply for your amusement. Krauthamer’s ongoing series TrumpQueen is not about political commentary, but…

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Power and Food

Italian photographer Dan Bannino is a consummate storyteller with a particular penchant for still life and commercial photography. Much of his work could just as easily find a home on a gallery wall as in the pages of a mass market magazine, like National Geographic, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan and many others. With his terrific…

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Facebank: Superhero Currency

It is said that art is often an honest reflection of societal issues at large. History shows that for centuries art has been a sort of barometer, documenting larger issues through the lens of the artist. This certainly holds true for the work of Italian artist Alessandro Rabatti. His series Facebank serves as commentary for…

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Election Art

On this Election Day, we bring you some of our favorite works inspired by this historic election season. In order: Boston-based artist and collage master Molly Scannell; Brooklyn-based artist and educator David Hollier; Nashville-based artist and sculptor Herb Williams (previous posts here and here); Brazilian artist Butcher Billy (previous post here); Nashville-based (Rochester-born) painter Kristin…

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A Cut Above the Rest: The Incomparable Work of Eiko Ojala

We are compelled to check in on the work of renowned Russian illustrator/graphic designer Eiko Ojala every so often (here and here) because he’s just so good. Ojala’s style is distinct… we now recognize it from a mile away. These are truly mixed media endeavors, mixing digital illustration, paper textures, and both real and artificial…

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HIPstory

On the heals of a dark and bizarre U.S. presidential debate the other night, and the seemingly endless campaign (thankfully) coming to a close in exactly four weeks, we thought it fitting to take a look at artwork with world leaders as subject matter. This is, of course, not regal portraiture hung in the Smithsonian…

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Sign of the Times: Surrealist Take on Trump

Fresh on the minds of Americans in this spirited election season, and following last night’s first presidential debate, Donald Trump has firmly cemented his Q Rating (whether favorable or not) into the public consciousness. It should come as no surprise, then, when artwork reflects current affairs (related posts here and here). We’ve discussed the awesome…

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Butcher Billy is Killin’ It

Pop art is alive and well. Having materialized in the 1950s as an alternative to the traditions of fine art, the movement draws from popular culture and often relies on irony. As we’ve noted before, our highly connected, celebrity-obsessed culture is a breeding ground for such art, so it’s no surprise that it seems to…

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Ephemeral Urban Art by SpY

Given the somber mood surrounding all things politics and money in Europe, particularly Greece, this installation street art, fittingly titled “Crisis”, is especially relevant. Conceived and created by Madrid-based artist SpY, and installed in a central neighborhood in the city of Bilbao, the piece consists of 1000€ (almost $2,000) in 2 cent coins making up…

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